UFC fighter Ryan Benoit. Jasmin Frank-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Benoit off 'UFC on ESPN 24', taken to hospital due to weight-cutting concerns

By Zac Wassink | Last updated May 7, 2021 3:25 PM ET

UFC flyweight Ryan Benoit (10-7-0) couldn't make weight for his scheduled showdown versus Zarrukh Adashev (3-3-0) at Saturday's "UFC on ESPN 24" show and now won't be permitted to compete at all.

As ESPN's Marc Raimondi explained, Benoit was involved in scary scenes Friday morning when issues presumably linked with weight-cutting left him unable to stand on his own power during his first weigh-in attempt:

Ryan Benoit (@BabyfaceBenoit) unable to stand long enough to get weighed in. Off to see the doctor #UFCVegas26 pic.twitter.com/61mZpGqsG8
— Amy Kaplan (@PhotoAmy33) May 7, 2021

After Benoit was quickly examined by a doctor, he returned and missed weight by three pounds while still looking dehydrated and incapable of competing. Raimondi reports that Benoit was removed from the UFC card and transported to a local hospital. The fight is canceled but could be rescheduled for a later time.

Second attempt for Ryan Benoit (@BabyfaceBenoit) 129 pounds #UFCVegas26 pic.twitter.com/R3bqT0Xjyk
— Amy Kaplan (@PhotoAmy33) May 7, 2021

A similar situation played out in March when women's bantamweight Julija Stoliarenko collapsed multiple times attempting to weigh-in ahead of a fight.

Benoit was hoping to end a two-fight losing streak on Saturday. Ironically, he missed weight for his last victory, a knockout of Ashkan Mokhtarian in November 2017.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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